School-book-holder strap.



PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

T.E.BARTON. $011001. BOOK HOLDER STRAP.

APPLICATION rum) 21:13.13, 1904. v

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I hwenroz atlo'nnu J 1 w l PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905. T. E. BARTON SCHOOL BUOK HOLDER STRAP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

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UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

THOMAS E. BARTON, OF DES MOINES, IOlVA.

SCHOOL-BOOK-HOLDER STRAP.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 784,972, dated March 14, 1905.

' Application filed February 18, 1904. Serial No. 194,260.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. BARTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sch0olBook1-Iolder Straps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to such apparatuses or devices as are commonlyused by school children and others for carrying school-books and similar articles to and from school and other places.

The objects of my invention are to produce a book-holder strap in the most economical and cflicient manner and one that shall be convenient to handle, easily adjustable, and secure and commodious when folded in position ready for use.

To accomplish these ends my invention con sists in a strap-folder adapted to inclose and secure books and similar articles and provided With two or more leather arms or strips arranged at one side and perforated to engage suitable fasteners on the opposite edge of the folder.

It also consists in a pocket and cover located on the outside of the folder and adapted to hold pens, pencils, erasers, and similar school-supplies. 1

It also consists in a peculiar form of fastener specially adapted for use in connection with the perforated strap-arms of my folder.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference-letters indicate corresponding parts throughout all the figures, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device in an operative position, the object to be carried shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device, showing the same in an open position. Fig. 4: is a vertical cross-section taken on line 4 4, Fig. 1.

1n the drawings, A represents the back and top of my folder and may be made of leather,

canvas, or similar material. In dimensions it may be from eight to twelve inches in width and from twelve to fifteen inches in length. These measurements may of course be varied to suit the convenience or use of the owner. It is, however, preferably cut from a plain piece of material, as in Fig. 3, such as above indicated, and adapted to be folded over one or more books of ordinary size, so as to completely cover and protect the books on one side and leave a space, as indicated at min Fig. l, on the opposite side. B represents the handle, which is also made of leather, canvas, or similar material and secured at each end to the opposite edges of the back and top piece A, near one end thereof, by means of rivets or other similar fastenings. Said handle is made stiffer than the back piece and is reinforced, if necessary, by a lining or facing. Beneath the handle B and on the opposite side of the back and top piece A is secured a stout strip of sole-leather or similar material, as c, Fig. A, to the opposite ends of which the handle B is fastened, as indicated at b in Fig. 3. This strip 0 is used to give rigidity and security to the fastening of the handle, thus adapting it to the support of the heaviest weights without danger of breaking or giving way. 7

U represents the two strap-arms, each of which is perforated at 0 and secured at one end to the back piece A by being riveted thereto with the same rivets which secure the opposite ends of the handle B in place, as seen at b in Fig. 3. The opposite ends of these arms are provided with a series of transverse perforations or slots 0, which latter are adapted to engage buckle-fasteners (Z, secured to the opposite edge of the back piece A. When folded in position to inclose the book or other article to be carried thereby, the holder may be adjusted to any suitable size and securely fastened by means of the perforated straps and buckle-fasteners, as indicated.

D represents a pocket secured to the outside of the back piece near one edge thereof and so positioned as to be adapted to hold pens, pencils, erasers, and other similar articles when the holder is folded and fastened upon the books to be carried.

E represents the flap-cover for the pocket Dand is attached to said pocket in such a mannor as will adapt it to be folded thereover and secured in place by means of a string-fastener or button a.

It will of course be apparent that the length of the back piece may be adapted, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, to cover and protect the whole of one side of the books and leave a small space :0 on the opposite side, as indicated in Fig. 1, or the strapmay be constructed on the skeleton plan, as indicated by the modification shown in Fig. 2. 111 this ligure the back piece is made of the usual width and length; but so much of the material is removed from between the sides that only two narrow strips or arms (iare left, (see Fig. 52,) which fold over and embrace the books, as in the whole back piece, with the exception that the book or books are exposed on both sides. ltis also obvious that this holder may easily be adapted without material change or alteration in its structure to carrying music-rolls, shawls, and, in fact, any article of medium weight and size.

The above description of the construction of my device makes'its use perfectly obvious. When preparing it for use, the holder is opened out flat, as shown on the outside in Fig. l). The book is placed thereon with its back edge lowermost. The upper edge of the folder is then folded over the books and the arms or straps (J adjusted to position and secured by the buckle-fasteners on the lower edge of the back piece engaging the corresponding perforations in said straps, care being taken to draw the latter sufliciently taut to hold the parts rigidly together, as shown in Fig. 1. These buckle-fasteners b are made of sheet metal in two pieces, as shown in Fig. 3, and adapted to be held together by the springtongue action of one of the pieces.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of a single flexible supporting back piece of a book-holder strap, said back piece being made of leather or similar flexible material, perforated strap-arms, rivets passing through the opposite ends of the handle, the strap-arms, the back piece and a stout strip of sole-leather on the opposite side of the back piece and thereby permanently securing said handle and strap-arms to said back piece, buckle-fasteners attached to said back piece at one end thereof and adapted to engage the perforated strap-arms, all combined and arranged substantially as described, as a unitary apparatus for holding books, sheet-music and other articles in simple convenient and compact form for securely carrying the same.

in testimony whereof I al'iix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. BARTON.

\Vitnesses:

B. MOKAY, L. O. Poser. 

